Drain valve apparatus



Jan. my 1945. R. M. OLIVER 2,367,605

DRAIN VALVE APPARATUS Filed July 8, 1945 INVENTOR Rob eriMQver BY 42-1 ATTORNEY by way of a bore 56 with a chamber having an atmospheric exhaust port 58, which chamber is formed at the upper side of a valve piston 60 that is slidably mounted in a bore BI formed in the central casing section 30. The valve piston 60 is adapted to actuate the double valve 44, and comprises a cylindrical body having a central wall '63, in which is formed an aperture through which extends a plunger 64 that is maintained in operative engagement with a fluted stem 65 extending downwardly from the double valve 44, the plunger 64 being subject to the force exerted by a coil spring 61 which rests on the lower interior surfaces of the valve piston 60. Another coil spring 69 is interposed between the upper wall of chamber 51 and the central wall 63 of the valve piston, which is thereby urged downwardly into a normal position, wherein an annular rib II! formed on the valve piston engages a gasket II which is clamped between the casing sections 30 and 3|. With the annular rib thus seated on the gasket, a space or chamber I4 within the rib and communicating with passage 40 is cut off from the space I5 formed outwardly of the rib, and communicating by way of a passage 16 with the atmospheric chamber 51.

In operation, fluid under pressure supplied from the main reservoir 2 through pipe 50 and pas sage 5| to the chamber 41 in the timing valve device 4 flows through the bore 46, past the double valve 44, which is assumed to be initially posicloned as shown in the drawing, and through valve chamber 35, passage 36, and pipe 31 to the pressure chamber 9 in .the drain valve device 3. Fluid under pressure thus admitted to the chamber 9 acts through the medium of the diaphragm 8 and follower member 25 to hold the double valve element I8 in-engagement with the upper seat I9. Fluid under pressure at the same time flows from the passage 36 through the branch thereof havbetween its upper seated position and lower seated position, accumulated condensate is forced from the chamber I2 through the bore I4, valve chamber I5, bore I6, and chamber ID to the discharge communication II. It will be understood that movement of the double valve element I8 into engagement with the lower seat 20 is accomplished quickly, however, so that the amount of fluid under pressure required to drive out the accumulated condensate is thus limited.

Meanwhile, fluid under pressure trapped in the volume chamber 4| of the timing valve device and passage 36, valve chamber 35, bore 55, chamber ing the restricted portion 38 to the volume chamrate determined by the flow capacity of the restricted passage 38. When the fluid pressure in the chamber 14 acting upwardly on the valve piston Gilbecomes high enough to overcome the opposing force exerted by the coil spring 69, the

valve piston is initially raised to establish communication between the chamber 14 and the space 15 surrounding the rib I0, whereupon fluid pressure is applied against the full pressure area of the valve piston, thereby causing sudden or snapaction movement thereof to its uppermost position. In so moving, the valve piston acts through the medium of the spring 61 and plunger 64 to force the double valve 44 away from the lower seat and into engagement with the seat 48.

With the double valve 44 in its upper seated position, fluid under pressure is quickly vented from the pressure chamber 9 of the drain valve device 3 by way of the pipe 31, passage 35, valve chamber 35, bore 56, chamber 51, and atmospheric exhaust 58. Upon the reduction in the pressure of fluid in the pressure chamber 9 of the drain valve device, the springs 28 and 26 are rendered operative to shift the movable elements associated therewith downwardly until the diaphragm 8 engages the stop portion 2'! of the casing, while the double valve element I8 engages the lower seat 20. During the time required for traverse of the valve element I8 of the distance 51, and exhaust passage 58. When the fluid pressure acting on the valve piston has been reduced sufliciently, the spring 69 becomes effective to move the valve piston out of its uppermost position, and as communication is thus momentarily established between the atmospheric chamber 51 and the chamber 15-14, the resultant sudden equalization of fluid pressures acting on opposite sides of the valve piston renders spring 69 effective to force the valve piston quickly into the position shown in the drawing. The coil spring 53 at the same time acts to move the double valve 44 downwardly into engagement with the lower seat 55, thus suddenly reestablishing communication between the chambers 41 and 35, through which fluid under pressure is again supplied to the pressure chamber 3 of the drain valve device 3, and also by way of the restricted passage 33 to the volume chamber 4| and inner chamber 14, as already explained.

The pressure of fluid thus supplied to the pressure chamber 9 of the drain valve device 3 forces the diaphragm 8 and the follower member 25 upwardly, thereby moving the double valve element I8 from the seat 20 and toward engagement with the upper seat I9. In traversing the distance between the two seats, the double valve element I8 permits the fluid at main reservoir pressure again to drive out accumulated condensate from chamber I2, by way of the chambers I5 and I0 and the drainage opening II, it being understood that this discharge of compressed fluid of the main reservoir is quickly terminated upon engagement of the double valve element with the upper seat, I9, so that only a small amount of air is required for the operation.

The operating elements shown in the drawing are thus again positioned as illustrated, while fluid pressure is again built up in the connected volume chamber 4| and chamber 14 in the timing valve device at the predetermined rate established by the size of the restricted passage 38. It will thus be evident that with the elements of the timing valve device, including the portion thereof containing the volume reservoir and restricted supply passage, properly proportioned with relavice operative to eject condensate from said reservoir in response to either an increase or decrease in pressure of fluid in a chamber, and a timing valve device comprising valve means operative to supply and release fluid under pressure to and from said chamber, snap-acting piston means operative to effect sudden movement of said valve means in causing both supply and release of fluid under pressure, and a timing chamher having restricted communication with said first named chamber for regulating operation of said snap-acting piston.

2. In a drain valve equipment for discharging condensate accumulating in a receptacle for compressed fluid, the combination therewith of an automatic drain valve device having discharge means responsive to the variations in fluid pressure in a chamber for ejecting water deposited in said receptacle, and timing means for effecting operation of said drain valve device at predetermined intervals, comprisinga casing having a timing chamber, valve means operative in one position to supplycompressed fluid from said receptacle to said chamber in the drain valve device and also to said timing chamber, said valve means being operative in another position to cut off said supply communication while venting fluid from both chambers, and snap-acting piston means controlled by the pressure of fluid in said timing chamber for actuating said valve means.

3. In a drain valve equipment for discharging condensate accumulating in a receptacle for fluid under pressure, the combination therewith of an automatic drain valve device having discharge means responsive to variations influid pressure in a chamber for ejecting water deposited in said receptacle, and timing means for effecting operation of said drain valve device at predetermined intervals, comprising a casing having a timing chamber, and. snap-acting valve means responsive to variations in pressure in said timing chamber for at one time supplying fluid under pressure to said timing chamber and to said chamber in the drain valve device, and at another time venting fluid from both said chambers.

4. In a drain valve equipment for discharging condensate accumulating in a receptacle for fluid under pressure, the combination therewith an automatic drain valve device having discharge means responsive to variations in fluid pressure in a chamber for ejecting water deposited in said receptacle, and timing means for eiiecting operation of said drain valve device at predetermined intervals, comprising a casing having a timed chamber, valve means having one position for permitting rapid supply of fluid under pressure to said chamber in the drain valve device and restricted supply of fluid under pressure to said timing chamber, said valve means having another position for cutting oii said supply to both said chambers while venting fluid under pressure therefrom, and a snap-acting valve piston operative in accordance with the pressure of fluid in said timing chamberfor controlling movement of said valve means.

5. In a drain valve equipment for discharging condensate accumulating in a receptacle for fluid under pressure, the combination therewith an automatic drain valve device having discharge means responsive to variations in fluid pressure in a chamber for ejecting water deposited in said receptacle, and timing means for efiecting opera-v tion of said drain valve device at predetermined intervals, comprising a casing having a timing chamber, valve means having one position for permitting rapid supply of fluid under pressure to said chamber in the drain valve device and restricted supply of fluid under pressure to said timing chamber, said valve means having another position for cutting on said supply to both said chambers while venting fluid under pressure therefrom, snap-acting piston means controlled by pressure of fluid in said timing chamber for actuating said valve means, and yieldable means operatively connecting said piston means and said valve means.

ROBERT M. OLIVER. 

